macbeth and e



C. MACBETH AND E. SULLlVAN.

MNUFACTURE 0F T!RES. Ar'PucAnoN meu 1v1/mas. 1919.

1,326,874. ,Patented Dee. 30,1919.

C. MACBETH AND E. SULLIVAN.

MANUFACTURE 0F TRES.- AF'PL'ICATION FILED MAR.26, 1919.

Patented Dec. 30,1919. W2 ,1f 2 SHEETS`SHEET 2.

'UNITED STATES P ATENT OFFICE.

CLIN MACBETLI AND ERNEST SULLIVAN, 0F BIRMINGHAM, EN GLND, ASSIGNORS T0 THE DUNLOP RUBBER COMPANY,

MANUFACTURE on Tinne.

LIMITED, 0F WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND.

Specicationof Letters Patent.

rat-exited 13943.30, 1919.

Application filed March 2G, 191i). Serial No. 285,356.

To all lwhom t may concern:

Be it known that We, VCOLIN Mnon'rri' and ERNEST SYLLI'VAN, both subjects 'of the King of Great Britain, residing at Para Mills, Aston Cross, Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to the Manufacture of Tires, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates tothe manufacttne of tires and has for its elnie"v object to ei:- pedite the various operations involved in lacino tires in their molds )rior to vnlcanization by dispensing with manual labor to a large extent and making use of mechanical means for lifting', loweringl and carrying the heavy tire molds. The invention is especially applicable "o the placing of unvulcanised solid rubber es into their 4molds which usually comp a lower part to receive the tire.,

upper partY and an internal core Which i ter .ed in the foundation base band of the tire. The in vention is however applical'iie to the placing, of pneumatic tire covers built up on cores into molds each comprising' tivo or more iii:

parts.

Accordingto this inventionwve provide a turret crane in conjunction with. means for supplying the tires and incide to certa-in positions in close proximity lo the crane, for enabling` the tires to be successively at tached to the crane and placed' by the crane into the molds, the construction Aand arrangement of the apparatus *being such that,A

during the various operations involved the tires and molds are supported, lifted and moved as required b v mechanical means. al-

' though movement of the said tires and molds may in some ofthe operations be obtained by the action of gravity, thereby avoiding or reducing manual -eiiort to a. `large extent in carrying out the various operations. 'ln the case of placing solid rubber tires in their molds, the turret 'crane may be used in conjunction .with hydraulic or other elevatingn devices, one of which receives a pile ot cores and another. a pile of tiresthe position of the said elevating' devices relatively to the crane being so controlled as to enable suitable grabs or suspending devices on the lsaid crane tobe successively attached to the up- )ermost one ot the pile of cores; the crane is then moved to carry the attached or sustogether moved fully with ieie pended core to the pile of tires to permit of its being attached to the uppermost tire, after which the suspended core and tire are into a position in which they can be deposited or placed in the lower part of the mold which is supplied or brought to the reqnired position by any appropriate means. iter the mold has been filled or loaded by the crane it maybe carried away by suitable. means such as aconveyer and these various operations are repeated .in proper sequences until the desired number :st tires have been dealt with. By this arrangement it lift,` lower or carry the cores, tires and molds by manual eiiort and the various mechanical 'operations may be carried out expeditiously without one operation interfering' with. thefers would he iirstlimit up on cores and in molds t e cores with the covers thereon would successively attached to the crane which would then be moved to deposit or place the tire core and cover into thcinold. With regard to the aforesaid elevatingf de ices, locli means may be provided 'which i'emler th imperativenvhcn being' loaded ind iv ch prevent access to the said de.. when are operative as hereinafter i scribed.

In order that the said fon may be clearly anders" od and fied into eiiect the sann l ribod more accompanying drawings, in im.;

Figure i is ceeneral di ffra-n'xn'iatie perspectivc View or" onel con. :tion of the apparatus designed for nee in the placing of solid rubber'tires in their molds.

ll 2 is a diagrammatic perspective 'view of an apparatus generally similar to that shown in Fig. l but employing: a modified construction cfm/old supporting table.

Fig. Bis a part sectional plan view taken approximately on the line 3-3 ofv Fig. 2

showing more particularly the mold supporting table and the mold-supplying and removing runways.`

is not necessary to Fig, 4; is a trairmentary perspective View illustrating details of the aforesaid locking means.

A represents a three armed turret crane, B a pile of cores, C a pile of solid rubber tires and D represents a lower mold part hereinafter referred to as the mold.

The three horizontal arms AK, A2, A3, ot the turret crane are constructed to be simultaneously angular-ly movable on the upper end of a vertical ram A adapted to be moved vertically in a cylinder A5 by hydraulic pressure. At the ends of the arms A', A2, A?, grabs or suspending devices, E. E2, E3 are connected by chains .E or the like, the said.

grabs each comprising three gripping or supporting arms Et adapted to be moved by links or levers E5 which are controlled by a screwed vertical rod l and a handwheel E7 to'expand or contract the arms F4. Two elevating' devices such as hydraulically operated platforms (not shoivn in Figs. 1, Z and il) are situated adjacent to the turret crane,v and respectively support the pile of the cores il and the pile ot the tires C, (the core plattorm Pf being shown in Fig. d) While as shown in Fig'. 'l a third but fixed platt'orm or table F supports one mold at a time in position ready to be filled or loaded; the molds are successively supplied to and removed to and Yfrom the table F by conveyers G and H respectively, the actual transfer ot Ithe molds from the conveyor (l to the table F and trom the table to the conveyer il beinffeilected by means 'of roller runways l andl il( The supply conveyor' (l for supplyingzl the empty molds comprises. a trai-lc having' parallel hars or rails G on which the mold is supported horizontally and an endless moving chain G2 ii'iterposed between ihe two bars or rails G and having;r suitable lugs or projections G which engage with the interior surfaces ot the molds and pull the latter in the direction ot the arrow X; the supply conveyor moves the empty molds successively one behind the other and depositstliem in succession on to the roller runvvay I down which each mold slides or `rravitai'es on to the table F which supports the mold in position to receive the tire and core. The said table or support F iscomposed of a number ol rollers le" and has stops l"2 to tix or determine the proper position of the mold on the rollers F which latter'periiiit of the loaded mold being laterally moved by an operator without lifting on to the roller runway ,l down which each loaded mold slides or gravitates in the direction of the arrow Y on to the remove ing conveyer lil comprising track rails` Uv and a moving' chain H2 having projections ll Vfor engaging with the internal periphery ot' the loaded mold so as to draw to a vnlcanizing press.

Assuming the crane arms A', A2, il?, to be unloaded the turret crane is placed into a position in which its three arms are respectively directly above the pile ot' cores B, the pile of tires C and the mold platform F `and in commencing the sequence ot the necessary operations, the turret crane is lowered by controlling the hyraulie means to enable the grab above the pile ol cores to be attached tothe uppermost core by hooked ends on the supporting arms E* being placed under au internal fiange on the core so that the lat ter is supported on the arms Et; the turret crane is then raised and angularly moved in the direction ot' the arrow Z carrying with it the attached or suspended core; when the arm carrying the suspended core assumes a position over the pile of tires C the crane is lowered so that the suspended core is placed Within the uppermost tire of the pile` C. The cores malte a fairly tight fit in the tires to enable the tires to be littedl by the cores being raised, but it desired any suitable means may be provided to give the necessary adhesion. The aforesaid angular movement ot the crane brings the next sueceeding arm et' the crane (at that time unloaded) over the pile of cores B and'its grab can be fixed to the .ippermost core during the lowering of the crane and the aiiixA ing of the tire to the suspended core. The crane with a tire and core attached to one arm and a core on the next succeeding arm Y is again raised and angularly moved in the same direction as before and the tivo arms carrying respectivel/y'v the core with the tire fitted thereon and the second core,`are moved into a position in which the suspended core with the tire applied is disposed over an empty mold l) (which has previously been usupplied on to its platform or table F) and the other arm'carryirrar only tlie`eore, is disposed ov'er the pile of tires B While the third arm oi" the crane is at that time disposed over the pii'e ofcores BJ; this position of the turret crane is illustrated in Fig, l. The crane is then lowered to deposit the tire and core suspended on the arm A into the mold D and to enable the core suspended on the arm A2 to fit intothe uppermost tire of the pile Caivhile the grab llivvon the arm A3 is secured to the uppermost core. The grab E carrying the tire and core can be released when the latter' are placed in the mold D;- the crane is again raised so that the mold 'with the tire and core fitted therein can be moved away on to the gravity roller runway J to allow another Vmold supplied by the conveyor G to take. its place; the released grab is then left `free ready to be secured to another core when the crane. is again angularly moved in the same direction as before. This cycle or sequence of operations viz: the fixing oi' the core to the grab` the carrying of the core. the placing same into a tire,

the carrying of the tire and core the mold,

has

the placing of same in the mold and the supply of the empty molds and the removal of the loaded molds continues until all the cores and the tires of the two piles B and C have been used. After each removal of a core and a tire from their respective piles, the platforms supporting them are raised by the hydraulic means controlled by hand levers B and C to bring the cores and the tires in the proper horizontal position to enable a grab to be secured to the core and a suspended core to be placed within a tire, The

platforms after being fully raised when the last cores and tires have .been removed are then lowered flush with the Hoor. Fresh piles of cores and tires on separate trucks` are then deposited on to the respective plat'- forms. The movement of the core and tire platforms may be effected independently by means yof suitable hydraulic mechanism under the control of an operator who may also attend to the attaching of the empty grabs to the cores. Another operator controls the movement of the turret crane and also guides the suspended core into the tire andalso guides the tire and core into the mold and removes the grab from the tire and core after the placing of the latter in the mold. Rails K K are provided adjacent to the elevating platforms and the mold table F as shown and between the rails Khinged doors fio L M are provided which afford access to the platforms s'o that the piles of cores and tires may be placed thereon. Locking devices are provided for preventing the doors L M from being opened during the raising and lowering of the platforms andsthe. arrangement is such that the doors cancnlyibe opened when vthe platforms are level .with theiloor. For this purpose stops or projections 'O are provided which when the platforms are raised project upwardly above the floor level against the abutting edges of the doors LM as shown thus preventing the latter-` from being opened. When the platforms are level with thefloor the bolts O are movedby the' platform below the floor level so that the doors can be opened. When the doors L M are open the hydraulic means for operating the platforms are locked to prevent operai tion thereof while the doors remain open. For this purpose bolts l? are connected to the valve controlling levers B C which bolts engage with fianges Q formed lon the' end doors when open) so as to prevent any movementof the bolts P and the levers B C to which theym are connected thus rendering the hydraulic. elevating means inoperative While the doors are open. The locking means are controlled by rods N as'hereinafter described. .These locking arrangements are provided with a view to safeguarding the operators. For clearness of illustration the details of the mechanism for op- ,erating and controlling the locking meansy other than the arts specifically referredjto above, are not siown in Fig. 1 but such details are fully illustrated in the fragmentary perspective view shown in Fig. 4 which shows the mechanism associated with the platform which supports the pile of cores B and it will be understood that a similar and independently operated mechanism is associated with the platform which supports the pile of tires C; a description of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4 will suflce for a proper understanding of the mechanism associated with the platform which supports the tires.

a platform'level with the floor to be maintamed in an operative or locking position and the notch N2 retains the controlling 'rod N andthe aforesaid mechanism in lan inoperative or unlocked position when the platform4 B can be vertically moved. The lower end of the lever N is connected to a lever N4 which through a shaft N5 s connected to a pawl .N1 which retains the platform at the level ef the floor. The pawl N6 is so arranged that if the platform is doWn below the floor level it can allow the platform to I pass upward evenl though it be retained in the operativeposition. As stated above it is desirable that the 'dors shall not be opened .unless the platform Bx is at thefloor level.

For this purpose the lever N* is connected by a cross rod N7 to a crank O" secured on a shaft O2 whichv is connected to a lever 03 having attached to it a second lever O* which on its upper surface carries the Iaforesaid stop or projection O which is maintained above the floor level by means of a spring 'O5 so asto lock the doors L M in the closed position. When the notch il in the lever N engages with the fixed pin N3, the shaft O2 is operated by the aforesaid connections be" tween'the rod, N and the shaft O2 so as to bring the front of the. lever O* under the platform so that as the platform reaches the floor level it engages with the lever Ol and depress'es it against the action of the spring 0 with the result that the stop or projection O is pulled down below -the floor level thereby enabling the doors L M to be opened. In order that the platform B shall not be moved when the doors are open the mechanism for controlling the hydraulic valve is rendered inoperative. For this purpose the lever B 1s connected to a shaft P which has a lever P2 attached to it and connected to a cross rod l which in turn is connected -to a hell crank lever l that operates the valve lL through a spindle l. The lever l is also connected to another hell crank lever l which can oscillate on a shaft P7 one part of this lever constituting the holt or projection l which is adapted to he moved updoor engaging with the same and in this manner the mechanism for operating the valve B2 is locked so long as the door is in the open position so that the platform ll* cannot he elevated or depressed. lVhen the doors are closed lhe lever l is free and the controlling lever il can lie moved as desired to actuale the `valve li and cause the movement ot' the piati'orrn BX.

in the modiiication ot the apparatus shown in Figs. 2 and il the construction and arrangement is such that it is not necessary to vertically move the turret crane A. -ln this case the talile la which receives the Imold l) from the runway l leading from the snpply conveyor, may he vertically niovali'le, for example. h v a hydraulic rain if?, see Fig. 2, so that the mold after being supplied to the tahle l .can he raised for enabling a tire and core suspended ahove it hy one of the crane arms to he placed in the mold. The mold talile l may he mounted to tarn or rock on a. suitahle joint l"A1 and it may have extensions im hinged lo the vertical support A5 of the crane or to the floor so that when Vthe talile l" with the loaded mold thereon is low#v said tahle l" at I and J respectively so as to move with the latter. and the arrangement may he such that the, empty mold slides down the supply runi'ay l on to the table wheirthe latter is in the lowered position and after the talile with 'the mold has heen4 raised to receive the tire and core it can again lie lowered and inclined as aforesaid to allow the loaded mold toslide on to the removal runway li. 'l`he table l" comprises suitalile. rollers i*`I as descrihed in connection with Fig. l to facilitate the movement of the mold on the tahle. which latter may lie capahle of swiveling or angular inovement for the purpose of directingl the mold when the latter is to lie moved on to therunway H. instead of or in addition to the swiveling platforms or tahle suitable stops F2 or guides may lie provided for the purpose of directing the mold on to or from the'platform or table and suitable stops or guides may be provided on the table itself. The piles of cores B and tires (l may he mounted on vertical movable platforms which may he associated with protectiiig doors and rails as iii-inging or supplying individual cores and tires tothe required positions relatively to the crane arms. illoreover in some cases a pile of molds may he supported on an elevating platform operated in a similar manner to the aforesaid l'ilatforins which support the cores and the tires. ln such an example 'a conveyer may he employed for removing eachy u iold a l'ter the latter has been loaded or filled. The turret crane shown in the drawings is provided with three arms, hut in some eases for instance in dealing with pneumatic tire cascsalready on Cores a tivo armed crane could he used. In some cases a four armed crane would he used asinstance in dealing with molds having a.

molds, comprising a niovahle device having a plurality of arms to which tires can be attached, means for supplying tires to a position below the path of the armsofhe movahle device ready for attachment to the said arms, means for supplying empty molds to another position lielow the path of the arms of the movable device ready to receive the tires after having heen attached to said arms and carried tosuch position by the movable device, and 'means for conveying molds from the last saidv position, after having received the tires, whereby while one tire, after having heen attached to one of the arms, is being deposited in a mold another tire can be attached to another arm on the said device.

2. Means for use in placing tires in'molds, comprisingr a rotary device having a plurality of arms to which tires can be attached, means for supplying tires to a position below the path ofthe arms of the rotary device ready for attachment to the arms thereof, means for supplying empty molds to an-v other position below thi-,path of the arms of i the rotary device ready to receive the tiresV another tire is being attached to another A arm of said devicev and thereafter therqtary `device can he moved to bring another attached tire above an empty mold and simul 3l Apparatus forV use iniplacing tires inl molds, comprising a turret crane, elevating meansffor supporting the tires successively 1n a certain hor1zontal position relatively to the crane for attachment to the latter-,a conplurality ,having arms carrying veyer for supplying the empty molds to a definite position relatively to the crane to receive the tires attached the crane and a conveyer for removing` -the molds after receiving the tires, substantially as and for the purpose specified;

Il. Apparatus for use in placing tires in molds comprising a turret crane having a of arms, an elevating device for supporting a pile of tires and placing 'the uppermost tire in a position permitting of attachment thereof to one of the crane arms, a mold supporting table, a conveyer for supplying empty molds successively to the table, the crane being angularlyinovable to carry a suspended tire toy a position above a mold on the mold table, and a conveyer for carrying Iloaded molds from the table.

5. Apparatus for use in placing solid rubber tires in molds, comprising a turret crane having suitable-arms, an velevating platform for supporting a pile of cores to be fitted in the tires, an elevating platform for supporting apile-of tires, a mold supporting table, a conveyer for supplying the empty molds successively to the table, and a conveyer for carrying away the loaded molds, the construction and arrangement being such that the cores can be successively attached to the crane arms and transferred by the crane to the pile of tires 'for successive attachment to the uppermost tire afterwhich the suspended tire and core can` be transferred to the mold supporting table so as to be placed in the mold, leaving the crane arm which carried the core and tire ft'ee to be moved to receive another core, this `cycle of operation 'being continued in the sequence set forth until the piles of'cores and tires have been exhausted,substantially as and for the purpose specifiedV y l 6. Apparatus for use in placlng solid rubber tires in molds, comprising a turret crane attachment tothe tire cores, means for supplying the cores successively to, an Qattachment position, means for supplying the tires to a psition in which a core suspended on a grab can be litted ina tire, and

means for supplying the empty molds to a position to receive a suspended tire iitted on a core, the crane arms being so arranged that they can be disposed directlv above the core position the tire position a the mold position simultaneously, substanl Lally as and for the purpose specified.

7 Apparatus-for use in placing solid ruban endless conveyer for gmolds', a roller runway suspended grabs for i pended ber tires in molds, comprising a vertically movable turret crane having arms provided with suspended grabs for attachment 'to the l tire cores, means for supplying tire cores to' cezved a tire and core suspended from a crane arm, substantially as and'for the purpose specified.

8. Apparatus for ,use in placing solid rubber tires in molds, comprising a turret crane having arms with suspended grabs, elevating means for supporting a pile of cores in such a position 'that each attached to the uppermost core, elevating means for supporting a pile of tires so that they can be successively attached to a suspended core, a mold supporting table on which the molds can be successively placed to receive a suspended tire fitted on .a core, carrying the empty arranged to receive the molds from the conveyer and deliver them on to the supporting table, a roller runway extending Afrom. the mold supporting table for enabling the loaded molds to slide from the table-:along the runway, and a second endless conveyer arranged to receive the loaded molds from the last said runway substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. Apparatus for use in ber tires in molds comprising a turret crane .with three arms having suspended grabs for attachment to the tire cores, means for supplying the cores to an attachment position, means for supplying the tires to a position for attachment to the suspended cores, a mold supporting' molds ready to receive a sus ended tire fitted ony a core and meanswldereby relative movement in a vertical direction between theI turret crane and the core, tire and mold supportingmeans may take place for permitting of the attachment of the. cores to the grabs, the attachment of the tires to the suscores an'd the depositing into the molds of the suspended'tires fitted Aon the cores, substantially as and for the purpose specified. l

10.- Apparatus for use in placing solid rubber tires in molds, comprising a turret crane,- hydraulically operated elevating means for supporting piles o cores and tires respectively, and a' mold table for supporting the molds, the turret crane and mold table being relatively vertically movplacing solid rubgrab can successively be table for receiving empty lis able. substantially as and forthe purpose .l

`molds comprising a turret crane having a successivelv su )')lvino tires o u mstion to' l e. l

plurality of arms, means for supplying tires to e position permitting attachment thereol severally to the :1l-ins of the crime successively., ineens for supporting :L mold in position to receive e tire from the crane, and

means for successively supplying molds to seid support, encl :um ot' the c-rune traveling' successively from the tire ettirching position to the mold position and Jfrom the latter to the former.

l2. Apparatus for use in placing tires in molds cou1prisinr a 'turretJ crane, ineens for be attached to an erin of the crane, Ineens 4 C for supporting,` a mold in position to receive a tire `from the crane, elevating meansvfor effecting relative `fertical lnoven'ren't between the crane and the tire supplying and mold supporting Ineens, un inclosure for said ele'-` tion of the elevating means when the doors are open.

COLIN MACBETH. ERNEST SULLVAN. 

